Let me just start by saying that this is the newest edition in a fairly long series, however Katee Robert always does such a spectacular job at her interconnected standalones! At the beginning of the year I become completely and totally obsessed with this series. I have always loved Greek Mythology and these retellings have had me in a chokehold. Towards the more recent editions in this series, I have felt like they may have been lacking in certain areas. I was truly hesitant to even continue the series with this ARC but it was SO good!

I really enjoyed this installment and connected with the female main character. I love when there is plus size representation in books and Araidne was such an enjoyable character to go through this story with. I always loved the narrators, they were perfect for the characters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for this audiobook arc!

I listened To this installment of the Olympus series on audio. I loved The series but I hate Saying this one fell a little short for me in comparison to the others. The story of Ariadne and Minotaur was an unlikely pairing and I did enjoy their story and the spice. The plot itself was good as well. There is nothing I didnt Enjoy about the book, it’s definitely worth reading , it just wasn’t my favorite in the series. As always Robert’s writing was superb and her ability to retell Greek mythology does not disappoint.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this latest installment in the Dark Olympus series. In terms of characters and central love story, I can say confidently that it wasn't my favorite (it might even be my least favorite), but I really liked the development of the larger storyline, so I'm torn.

I have really enjoyed the snippets we've gotten of Ariadne up to this point. The Minotaur? Meh. Before this book, I didn't think much of him, but boy did I dislike being in his POV. Fans of the more possessive, "touch her and I'll kill you" vibe will likely enjoy this way more than I did. Sadly, I am not a fan.

The sex scenes were solid and there were some nice moments here and there, but I found myself largely tuning out their interactions unless it involved the political plot. My favorite scenes in this were ones that had nothing to do with Ariadne and the Minotaur's relationship. And that's an odd experience to have when reading a romance novel.

I will say, this got me pumped for the Icarus and Poseidon book. I found Icarus a little annoying throughout most of Dark Restraint but then that snippet at the end got me! I'm raring and ready to go.

3/5 ⭐️
Spiciness: 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the opportunity to review this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the overarching themes and politics of this book. Wicked Beauty (book 3) absolutely stole my heart so I was really excited to read this book. I am a huge fan of Greek retellings and love my smut, so I anticipated loving this book. If I am honest, I did not love the Minotaur and Ariadne as a couple.

Can this book be read as a stand alone?? I would recommend against it. There is so much referenced from prior books that I think you would miss a lot if you read it without reading the prior books. I read the first 4, but haven’t read the other couple prior to reading this book. I was expecting more of the initial relationship to be focused on, but so much in this book talked about “what happened before in the maze” or “when they met years ago.” I really wanted to see more progression in the relationship itself, so I had a little trouble really getting into this relationship as much as I wanted. I just felt like I wanted more from the romance angle.

I did like a lot of the overall plot in this story. It definitely moved the story along, and I am excited for more Hermes. She has been one of my favorite characters from the get go and I am so excited to see where that goes. Dionysus and Hera were also really intriguing characters, so I am curious to see more about where their stories lead.

I enjoyed the narrators overall. I feel they did a good job with expressing the characters throughout the story.

Keeping this one short and sweet:
>> ❤️ What I loved: Here for the plot development in the Dark Olympus series—things are happening! I am so invested 😂 I listened to the audio for this one, and the narrators were also great.
>> 💔 What I didn’t love: For me personally, almost 0% interest in the relationship on this one, sorry 😬

Read this if you’re invested in the Dark Olympus series like I am—can’t wait for Sweet Obsession (which strikes me as a better name for this book, I digress) because I have faith that both plot and romance will be on point for that one.

**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 (3-3.5)**

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Katee Robert, and Dreamscape Media, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

As always the Dark Olympus series hits and the audio to Dark Restraint was just amazing! Ariadne and the Minotaur have given Psyche and Eros a run for being the best couple in the series, they were incredible. The journey is intense and just hits in the all the right places and the spice always add that extra thing to the story. I really enjoyed this and I'm slowly coming along with audiobooks and this one hits!

Dark Restraint* by Katee Robert delivers on its promise of a scorching, modern retelling of Ariadne and the Minotaur. The intense dynamic between Ariadne and the Minotaur is both captivating and unsettling. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the tension between desire and danger keeps the story engaging. While gripping, the plot felt somewhat predictable at times, and I wished for more depth in the character's characters development. Ariadne's internal struggle and the Minotaur's relentless pursuit are intriguing, but the story could have benefited from more exploration of their motivations. The pacing was uneven, with some parts dragging while others felt rushed. It's an enjoyable read for those who love dark, intense romance, but it didn't fully resonate with me.

Lesser well know characters of Greek mythology in a new spicy romance. This book is a fabulous continuation of the series and I can't wait to recommend to my young adult readers!

I have been loving this series and all of the characters in the books. However, I was not drawn to this couple like the others in the series. As always Katee Robert knows how to write the steamy scenes though! Overall, loved the side characters, politics and smut but the relationship didn't captivate me.

I’ve been reading the Dark Olympus series since the beginning and I was super looking forward to this installment. The tension and history between Ariadne and the Minotaur was something I have been chomping at the bit for and it did not disappoint.
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While we unfortunately see some of the fall backs to the male characterization of “I’m such a monster, they’re so perfect, I don’t deserve them, but I’m going to have them anyway” - which at this point in the series is incredibly stale, the pre-existing relationship between Ariadne and the Minotaur actually brought a freshness to this series that was desperately needed. I’m also a sucker for friends to lovers too, so you’ll have no complaints from me.

We’re also finally seeing some of the pay offs for all the political moving that has been going on in the background of all the previous stories and it was very satisfying to see plans finally set into motion, even as Ariadne and the Minotaur were very much trying to GTFO.

As always Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock do an excellent job with the material and I can recommend the audiobooks for the entire series if anyone is considering picking it up.

This book has me hyped for the endgame - and there are just 3 more books left - what’s it going to all come down to?

Hisses & Kisses 🐍

*I received an audioARC from Dreamscape Media & NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

I’m a big fan of this series and this one did NOT disappoint! Between the spicy scenes and the danger and instability of the city there was always something to move the plot along. I love when a hard hero is brought to his knees by the heroine. This was definitely the case with Minotaur. I also enjoyed seeing Hermes again! This one was well written with amazing conflict and that feeling of never knowing what comes next. Huge thanks to Dreamscape media and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book!

The seventh book in Katee Robert's Dark Olympus romantasy series delivered on all the hot sex and cutthroat Greek political machinations in this Ariadne and Minotaur romance. Not a story I was very familiar with, this retelling was well done, entertaining and good on audio. Highly recommended if you liked the other books in this series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I am SUCH a fan of the Dark Olympus series and have enjoyed diving into this world through audio. Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock are back as narrators and they made it easy to dive into Dark Restraint and pick up right where the previous book, Midnight Ruin, left off.

Katee Robert has a way of writing characters who are all at once strong, fierce and vulnerable. I loved the relationship between Ariadne and the Minotaur. Though she lacked life experience, Ariadne had such a great head on her shoulders and was able to articulate what she needed in life. She made difficult decisions with confidence and gave herself the space she needed to grieve when needed.

The plot did not disappoint and there was action in almost every chapter. Readers won't have to wait long for the spice or suspense to hit.
Dark Restraint ended on a cliffhanger and I am SO excited for the next release in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Katee Robert for an early listening copy. These are my honest thoughts.

I will admit I struggled with this narrators accent. I ended up getting a copy of the ebook and after a few chapters of parallel reading was able to switch to just the audio.
Dark Restraint is a total rollercoaster! Katee Robert takes the classic Ariadne and Minotaur story and turns it on its head. Ariadne is a badass and Asterion is... well, he's a complicated mess. Their forbidden love is scorching hot and the tension between them is off the charts.
The book is super steamy, so if you're not here for some very open door stuff, maybe skip a few chapters. But if you're into that kind of thing, this book delivers. The plot twists and turns, and I was hooked from start to finish.
If you're a fan of dark romance and Greek mythology, you need to read this. Just be prepared for some seriously intense stuff.

Just when you think things in Olympus couldn’t get more dire, Ariadne finds herself a pawn of the thirteen as they wait to see what plot her father, Minos, is crafting up. Ariadne doesn’t want to feel bad about fleeing but part of her knows it was wrong to leave The Minatour, Asterion, as if he doesn’t mean everything to him. When Asterion discovers Ariadne is gone, he decides to make it his mission to hunt her down but matters get complicated when Minos orders him to kill Ariadne for her betrayal. Will Asterion be able to kill the person he’s wanted for most of his life?

Holy smokes Katee Robert!! This series just keeps ramping up. The levels of political scheming happening in this book is wild. You never fully know who to trust or what their intentions are. This book was probably the darkest in the series. I’m normally not a big “you’re mine and I’ll hunt you down” girl but baby Asterion had me reconsidering my position on that. I’m glad that these two got to have a book together even if at first I wasn’t wild about the pairing. Together they’re so caring and thoughtful about the other. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series.

GREAT book and WONDERFUL audiobook! The narrators are excellent, capable of doing every kind of voices, male and female, and being very convincing. I particularly loved the male voice, who created a gruff, brutal, but very in love Asterion. But of course it’s the book that is a little masterpiece! Longing and passion and angst between the main characters are perfectly blended with action and suspense. The lovemaking scene are hot and very emotional and the chemistry is sky-high! And the world building! This modern retelling of the ancient Greek gods is really gorgeously done. I can’t wait for Icarus and Poseidon’s story!

✨️💚✨️Audio Book Review✨️💚✨️

Book: Dark Restraint
Author: Katee Robert
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My only negative about this book? Reading this one before the first six lol. But, I will most definitely be going back and reading the other books in this series.

Holy crap, this book was dark. And so so so spicy.

I was hooked from page one and flew through this one in one day.

I also love a new Greek Mythology take and this one was a wild ride.

You get:
• Spicy
• Dual POV
• Dark Romantasy
• Greek Mythology
• Forbidden Love
• Murder/Suspense
• Don't Trust Anyone

If you like dark romance & Greek Mythology ... you will love this series. Available on ebook, paperback, and audiobook!

Im a huge fan of Katee Robert and this series. There was a lot of forward motion in the story in this book. The spice was spicy, of course! But I felt that the romance and connection of the characters fell a little flat. We get to learn about a few characters we dont yet know a lot about, with a great lead up to the next book. Cant wait to see where the story goes in the next one and to see those characters together!

Dudes, I love the Dark Olympus series. These books are flipping wild. Katee Robert knows how to write spice, no doubt, but their books are always exciting in other ways as well. This whole series is thrilling, edge of your seat, twisted, and filled with dark humor. Dark Restraint is a good addition, but considering it’s joining some amazing company that’s not the biggest compliment. This book is good, just good. The 🌶️ is well done and insane as always and Dionysus and Hermes are fun characters that I always like seeing, but the MCs weren’t my favorite. The Minotaur is way more brawn than heart, which is fine, but I didn’t totally get the appeal. Ariadne reps the curvy girls and the tech savvy girls, which I love, but as a whole she’s a bit bland. She has badass moments at the end but for 95% of the book she seemed too passive. I wasn’t bored, but I wasn’t enthralled.

I think part of the problem for me was the lack of anticipation. I love the build up, knowing they will but not knowing when they will. Dark Restraint starts out with a bang, pun very intended, that sort of takes away the mystique. It’s definitely deserves the read and is worthy of the series, but it’s not as dynamic as its predecessors.

It is entirely possible that this will be my last Katee Robert. I keep trying to overlook the lackluster plots because their character development is usually very strong. Unfortunately, this one failed me on both fronts.

Plot - 2
Writing and Editing - 3
Character Development - 2
Narration - 4
Personal Bias - 2
Final Score - 2.8